Tag Archives: ancient

Meandering in May in Morlaix

Needing a break from the grim and seemingly interminable winter last year, we decided to meander around Brittany, comparing the lifestyles on offer in each small village and larger town. Morlaix may not have been where we chose to settle, but it had a lot going for it as you’ll soon see.

The undeniable ‘feature’ of the small city is the viaduct, built in the late 1800s, that looms over a portion of the town below. The viaduct carries the train tracks and is even snuggled up close to a historic church. I can imagine that the houses, businesses, and the church all feel the vibrations of that rail traffic throughout the day!

The 1800s viaduct in Morlaix, Brittany, France looms over the town below.

The 1800s viaduct in Morlaix, Brittany, France looms over the town below.

As you walk further away from the viaduct and into the ‘old town’ area, it’s soon clear that the entire city is built on several levels with both residential and commercial areas sprinkled high and low.

The old town of Morlaix is built on several levels.

Along an almost silent street on the upper levels of Morlaix, the violin maker’s shop is now closed and the blinds are drawn down.

Some of the medieval era streets are quite narrow and twisty. Since the doors and shutters for both homes and businesses are sometimes closed tightly against the weather, you’ll need to keep a close lookout for the quirky spots — the tiny shops of interest that are off the main streets filled with glossier offerings.

Blue-painted front facade of a small brocante in a narrow street in Morlaix, Brittany, France.

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©A Wanderful Life 2007-2018
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Slivers of History On The Side Of The Road in France

You forget sometimes, you really do. Living pretty well anywhere in Europe means that you are always immersed in history. But it still puts a smile on your face when you are out having a drive through the countryside and you see something like this — the medieval Château de Quéribus — built in 1200 and considered to be the last of the Cathar strongholds.

 

Road sign for the Cathar stronghold Chateau de Queribus in the Aude region of the Midi-Pyrenees in France


 

Perched atop the highest point for miles around, the Cathar stronghold Chateau de Queribus in the Aude region of the Midi-Pyrenees in France


 

We aren’t certain if we will be going back in the late Spring for a visit once the chateau is re-opened for the tourist season. But I wanted to share this little glimpse of the fascinating and ever-present history that is a part of life in France.

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9 Days In Spain: Intro

Barcelona for 8 days and Figueres for 1 — heaven! From traditional and historic to ancient to cutting edge contemporary, Spain has it all. We have just returned from a 9 day trip to Spain to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary, so there will be an entire series of posts coming up in the days ahead.

I took over 2,000 photos during that trip — but then again, I typically shoot 3-4 of each scene or item so that I can choose the optimum image afterward. Some might call that a bit of overkill, but I end up with a better stock portfolio that way!

Here’s a few teaser pictures of what you will see in the weeks ahead.
 

Ruins of the previous Roman city in their excavation site beneath the streets of Barcelona, Spain


 

Contemporary sculpture to honour the volunteers for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain


 

The crossing lights in Barcelona, Spain reflect the fact that there are rather a LOT of cyclists as well as pedestrians crossing at the intersections.


 

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Mystical and Mysterious Megaliths in Carnac, France

Black and white photography is oft-times better, especially when you wish to see the texture and depth of an object or scene and not simply be dazzled by the ‘prettiness’ of colour.

Legends have offered many explanations for the placement of thousands of Neolithic standing stones in rows or wavelike patterns at Carnac in Britanny, France. The chronicles of Julius Caesar mention that he met with a Druid chieftain within the complex of stones at Carnac and one legend claims that the unwelcome Roman legions were turned into the lines of stones.
 

Standing stones at Carnac in Brittany, France


 
The stark beauty of the unadorned stone is frequently better seen in black and white, so here is a continuation of the previous photo essay in colour. And this time the mood of the place itself is, in my mind, better interpreted by the black and white photos.
 

Standing stones as far as the eye can see at Carnac in Britanny, France. B&W


 
Faces are often seen in these wonderful stones and my own interpretation of the picture below is this. Of the 4 largest stones, from left to right, one might see a lion facing to the right, a cobra-faced man, and an elephant facing left with part of its trunk knocked off.
 

Craggy faces in stone at Carnac in Britanny, France


 

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The Silent Stones of Carnac

The mysterious megalithic standing stones at Carnac in Britanny, northern France, had been on our list of places to see for many years. So we were pleased to be able to take a side jaunt as we drove from the top of France to the bottom over a three day period. We arrived on the last day of winter, a mere one day before the official Spring re-opening for the tourists and the reinstatement of the guided tours.
 

Yellow blooms against mysterious gray megalithic stones at Carnac, Britanny, France


 
There are thousands upon thousands of these standing stones spread out over several miles. It is simply stunning to see this many ancient megaliths in one place!
 

Megalithic stones at Carnac in Britanny, France stretch as far as the eye can see


 
There were no admission costs to pay since we were out of season, but we also found ourselves locked out and unable to walk around the stones and we had to make do with viewing them across the ugly and flimsy wire fence that surrounded the entire area. I won’t lie — that was quite disappointing.
 

Fences keep visitors away from the Carnac stones unless accompanied by a guide


 
Over the years we have visited many stone circles or megaliths or dolmens and the only time we have been restricted from walking right up to the stones was at Stonehenge in England. I suppose that the reasoning behind the decision to enclose the Carnac stones within a fence is for the same reasons as the Stonehenge separation from the hoards of tourists — to minimize potential damage. But apparently it was a decision that has angered many of the local residents who resent the change in policy and the requirement to pay an ‘official guide’ to accompany them.
 

Sign at Carnac standing stones explains the requirement for an official guide


 
One of the interesting aspects of visiting ancient stone sites has always been the ability to reach out and touch the stones and ‘tune in’ to any residual energy that still dwells within. We were unable to do that in this place and I must admit, it left me with a curiously ‘detached’ feeling about a place that I had so looked forward to visiting prior to our arrival.
 

Ancient megalithic standing stones at Carnac in Britanny, France


 
Just as in the much smaller Avebury complex in England, the stones are within a village that has grown up around the ancient site. But it was surprising to see just how very, very close some of the stones were to the well-established houses.
 

White house nestled amongst the standing stones at Carnac in Britanny, France


 

Standing stones in Carnac run right up to the village houses


 
I can’t really comment on the quality of the guided tour since we were there out of season and didn’t pay the €9 fee, but the Carnac Standing Stones are an interesting stop in Britanny and certainly well worth a detour if you are in that part of France.

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Beautiful Bayeux Cathedral

The spires thrust high into the skies over Normandy — asserting themselves proudly over the smaller stone or timber and plaster buildings all around. There are far too many ancient cathedrals and churches to count in France, but this one had a special air about it that broadcast its importance.
 

Bayeux Cathedral -- Notre Dame de Bayeux exterior


 

Ornate roofline and spires of the Bayeux Cathedral


 
The historic Bayeux Cathedral in Normandy, France is such a beautiful building and has such a wonderful atmosphere that I thought it deserved a separate photo essay of its own. This was the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry, now housed in a separate museum a mere few blocks from the cathedral. It was consecrated by William the Conqueror, also known as William, Duke of Normandy and King of England, on the 14th of July 1077 — a mere 11 years after the Norman conquest of England.
 

Heavily detailed exterior of the Bayeux Cathedral


 
This 11th-13th century masterpiece of architecture is astonishingly light and airy inside due to the number of windows which punctuate the deep stone walls. The ornamentation is simply beautiful, so I have included several photos of interesting details.
 

Interior of the Bayeux Cathedral


 

Quatrefoil detail in stone inside the Bayeux Cathedral


 

Ornate details on interior of Bayeux Cathedral


 

The Dragonslayer in a side chapel at the Bayeux Cathedral


 
The crypts have an energy all their own which is quite different from the hustle and bustle of the ‘upstairs’ main church. But occasionally when there are other people down in the crypts, some rather annoyingly ignoring the signs indicating that NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY is to be used, you simply have to wait for a few minutes for the clattering and shuffling in and out to cease.
 

Entry to the crypt from the side aisle of the Bayeux Cathedral


 

Frescos on arches in the crypt of the Bayeux Cathedral


 

Angel fresco on top of a column in the crypt of the Bayeux Cathedral


 
Then, in that tiny space of a moment or two, you can feel the energy shift back to an interesting state of otherworldliness and even the sound of your breath looms large. This is a very popular tourist site, even out of season, so you must purposefully snatch those moments of serenity whenever it is possible.
 

Mark absorbing the brief and fellow-tourist-free serenity of the crypt at Bayeux Cathedral


 
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